Separate Ways
by s.m. bauti
Summary: While the two went their separate ways after the events on the Surface, Link still thinks about Zelda often. Would he set out to find her? (Ending Revised)


It had been several months since the chaos of the Surface had subsided. Link had only remembered a few details of what happened. In the beginning, he was living in the town known as Skyloft, which lay up in the clouds, with his best friend Zelda. But, while they were riding on their Loftwings, which were known to be gigantic birds, Zelda had fallen from the sky and onto the Surface. In his search for his friend, he, too, landed onto the Surface.

Finding Zelda was an adventure in itself. The Surface was a vast land mostly made of green grass and trees. Everything on the Surface also appeared large. There were large rocks and large domes that the natives called Mountains. Everything about the Surface had amazed him.

He trekked through temples, spoke with strangers, and even destroyed Zelda's captors. Through the end of it all, he saved her.

As the days passed, those events turned into a blur. That was also the first time that they were apart, yet he thought of her all that time. Zelda had stayed at the temple, where she was rescued, while Link explored the Surface.

...

In the woods known as Faron, Link was lying on top of a rock, allowing the sunlight and the wind to brush against his entire form.

"Hey, how's it going, Link?" A huge rock-like humanoid known as a Goron sauntered in the young man's line of view.

Link hastily sat up.

"Gorko, how long have you've been here?" Link fixed his short, blonde hair to the side. He was unaware of his now reddened face.

"Well, I was around the neighborhood, you know. So, having a good time on that rock?"

Link reddened even more and he looked down. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Gorko was an archeologist who studied artifacts and sites and also the behavior of animals. When Link landed on the Surface, he had rescued him from a group of bandits. Throughout the search for Zelda, the two had become friends.

Then Goron adjusted the strap of the knapsack he was carrying on his back. "There's no wrong way in what you were doing. Maybe sometime in the future you could find a partner, though. Say, where is that Zelda girl you rescued?"

Link was dumbfounded. There was no point in covering up what he did.

He sighed. "We went our separate ways at the temple. She wanted to feel the breeze upon her face and gaze upon the clouds. I walked away. Somehow when we reached the Surface our lives had changed."

"What?" The Goron shook his head. "When she was talking about the Surface's atmosphere," he extended his arms wide open, "maybe she wanted to share this world with you. Think about it."

The young man's eyes widen. The Goron smiled and left while humming a tune.

...

For some time Link was silent. He stared at the river bend as water poured in.

Soon his thoughts retreated back to when Zelda asked him about his future.

"What about you, Link? What do you want to do?" Zelda turned to him with a tilted head and a smile. Her golden hair moved with the breeze.

Link remained silent at that moment. He watched as their two Loftwings flew up into the sky. Everyone they knew was up in Skyloft.

"I don't know," he finally said. He made a small smile then placed his head down.

While leaving her, he turned one last time and saw that her bright blue eyes dimmed and her brows furrowed. Even her pretty face appeared to droop.

_What else was I supposed to do? _He had to let her be.

...

Link sat still in contemplation. After his friend left, he wondered if Gorko was right. Should he search for her? He did miss her being around.

On an impulse, he started hiking through the woods, calling out Zelda's name every now and then. He thought about the Temple. Maybe she would be there. And if he did set out for that place, it would be a day's walk.

As the woods turned into night, Link rested on the ground upon a small blanket that he brought, having also eaten some fruits that he packed. He soon continued his journey with the approach of dawn.

The trees loomed above him. He heard the animals in their spirits. Before long, he heard the gliding of a harp. When he was living in Skyloft, he had given Zelda a harp, and he remembered the bright smile she exuded because of it. From that day forth, she practiced nearly every day as its magic echoed.

The harp's sound was heavenly, bringing a mixture of nostalgia and sorrow.

As he came to the clearing of the forest, he observed Zelda. She was sitting on the grass. Her familiar golden hair was even longer, covering her back side.

"Zelda?" he whispered.

The harp player stopped. "Link?" She turned and stood up.

At a distance, they stood in awe of each other. Had it truly been months since they went their separate ways? Were they content in their places?

"How are you enjoying the Surface minus all the danger and kidnapping?" Link managed to say.

Usually, Zelda laughed at his jokes, but this time she eyed him.

"Link, I'm independent now... more than I ever could imagine. I love it here. To feel the wind upon my face and the warmth of the ground is invigorating. I would never leave."

There was a quiet silence.

"I see," Link mumbled.

Gone were her giggles. Were they still friends? Since Zelda said nothing more, Link nodded and walked away slowly, feeling numb and cold.

Link's head faced downward and his shoulders were slouched. Back in the woods, he sat on a rock in reflection.

Zelda. She was still there. She was still beautiful. Exploring the deep world of the Surface filled with deserts and swamps and oceans would never match the presence of being with Zelda, he realized.

_I'm independent now... _Zelda's words still rang in his head.

Did that mean she no longer cared for Link? Why did their friendship move as if it were air? Link pondered these questions.

When he spoke with her, he felt Zelda responded passively. Her mouth was agape and her eyes were withdrawn. He had seen her smile, when she cowered in fear, and when she was angry, but not when she was distant. Seeing her indifferent was painful.

Should he go back and pursue Zelda?

_When she was talking about the Surface's atmosphere, maybe she wanted to share this world with you. Think about it._ Even Gorko's words lingered in his head. Was this guilt?

He exhaled. He needed to tell Zelda how he felt.

As he marched back, Zelda was now looking upon the lake.

"Zelda!"

She instantly turned around with a confused look. "You've returned? I don't understand. Didn't you want to explore the world? That's what it seemed like months ago when we went our separate ways." She placed a hand on her hip.

"Zelda, at that time I wasn't sure. I'm sorry." Link slowly approached her. "But, now I'm sure what I want to do." There was a pause. "I want to be with you."

Zelda continued staring at Link then slowly her eyes brightened and a smile formed.

She approached him, brushing a hair strand from his face. "When you were gone, I was so alone and I missed seeing your face and your laughs." She pulled Link near. "I hope you'll stay by my side, always," she whispered.

In response, he wrapped his arms around her. He inhaled her scent that was sweet like lilies while his heart beat continuously. He smiled, holding her in this embrace. He would keep his promise and stay by her, knowing that they would no longer need to go their separate ways.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES

(I have a lot to learn and probably in the future there will be continual tweaking of this story.)

This is somewhat of an alternative ending to Skyward Sword and the characters are a bit out of character.

I haven't finished the game because of my bad romance with the wii-remote controller.

This story is dedicated to Zelink fans and this is also dedicated to those hopeless romantics who still believe.

Thank you to my mom and friends Chris and Jo for helping with my word choices and scene choices. (You were incredibly helpful.)

Thank you also to Force of the Tri for taking the time to point out my mistakes of certain names and places in the world of Skyward. (I appreciate the honest and detailed feedback. I also took your advice of tweaking the ending. Thanks!)

And last but not least thank you to the readers! I really appreciate it when people take the time to read my fiction. It means a lot and writing fiction has been a joy and pleasure. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thanks again for reading!


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